Tea, a Bridge, and Bodies
by Andrew-Squee
Summary: Jet told Zuko he wanted an 'open relationship.' Zuko doesn't think that's going to work. Although, the man from work might help... ZukoJet, ZukoSokka, JetEverything That Moves... yaoi
1. Day One

Tea, A Bridge, and Bodies

A/N: This story is very much AU… It's also slash (or yaoi, whichever you prefer). In addition, I'm sure that they're all OoC… o well. (I wouldn't recommend this if you like Jet…)

A/N 2: has stripped the story of its scene breaks. I am very very sorry for the annoyingness that will result from it. I will try and create scene breaks where appropriate with something besides "--" .

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day One

Zuko had to admit:_Jet'_s open relationship wasn't working.

It had been one thing when Jet had been bringing home a different girl every once and awhile. But, now he was bringing home girls _and_ guys, and it was normally a different one everyday.

And, through all of these _bodies_ (because that's what Zuko had determined they were by this point), there was the one constant.

And that constant was beginning to think that this wasn't working.

Hence, here the constant was, mulling over what his life had become, while washing the dishes that body number 57 and Jet had used for dinner the night before.

Zuko sighed; they really needed to get a dishwasher

* * *

"I think that there has to be an easy solution to the bridge problem." Sokka said, surveying the problematic construction project from the shore. He frowned. It looked like this was going to be another take-home project. A small sigh escaped his lips. Another night alone-- pouring over construction projects.

* * *

He would have to go into work soon. Zuko frowned. He really needed to find a job he actually enjoyed. Managing a local teashop really wasn't cutting it. For about the tenth time that morning, Zuko sighed. He needed to talk to Jet about the increase in nameless bodies. But, first, he had to go into work.

* * *

Jet quite enjoyed sleeping in late. Of course, sleeping in late was always more enjoyable when there wasn't someone next to you, blocking some of the bed. Jet frowned. He supposed that there was _one_ advantage of Zuko having to leave early for work—he got the bed to himself in the morning. Then again, this body wasn't Zuko. A fact that Jet had liked the night before… He sighed and tried to get comfortable next to the random woman so that he could fall back asleep…

* * *

Sokka needed a drink. Preferably a strong one. With a high alcohol content. And in a large glass. That accursed bridge was proving to be more of a challenge than he originally thought it would be. And being out since five that morning wasn't helping matters. Grumbling about suspensions and water depths, Sokka headed into the first open drink shop he came across. Never mind the fact that they sold tea—anything liquid would hopefully work at this point.

* * *

Sometimes Zuko wished he wasn't so loyal. Yes, he and Jet were currently in an "open" relationship. And, yes, Jet was sleeping with everything that moved. And, yes, earlier Zuko had determined that things with Jet weren't working. But… but he and Jet were technically, on some level, still a couple. And that made it pretty impossible for Zuko to fully enjoy the _openness_ of their relationship. Never mind the fact that the stranger who just walked in was cute. And never mind the fact that Jet had been pointedly ignoring him. And never mind the fact that Zuko felt that he wanted to be with Jet—even if Jet was acting like he wanted nothing to do with Zuko.

Sometimes, Zuko decided, you had to step outside your comfort zone.

* * *

Sokka decided that he liked that teashop ("No, you liked that _guy_" his mind chided). Perhaps, tomorrow, after dealing with that bridge problem, he would go back…. and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't keep spending his nights alone.

* * *

Zuko felt that the entire interaction had gone very well. Of course, now he had to deal with the guilt. The guilt for pursuing someone else, when he was still with Jet… and the guilt for enjoying it so much. With a sigh, Zuko started to brew more tea, hoping to finish it before the post-lunch rush in an hour or so.

* * *

Jet yawned. A full-body yawn that stretched his limps out as far as they could go. The nameless person had left a couple of hours ago, citing work and obligations, and all of the things that Jet had heard before in the morning. He didn't really mind when they left. He had never liked any of them enough to care about why they were going. At this point, he was just doing this to see the crushed look in Zuko's eyes every time he brought someone new home. Jet smirked. The honorable types always were the easiest to upset.

* * *

Sokka had spread the bridge plans across the table, as well as the latest maps of the river, and the city. The quicker he figured out the bridge problem, the quicker he could start on a new job, and the more he could pad his resume for when he applied for the city planner job. Sokka sighed as he doled overly moist rice into his mouth. The midpoint of the river, and therefore the bridge, was proving to be difficult. The river was really too deep for concrete, but the bridge needed a support. And Sokka really hated suspension bridges. As the bridge problem continued to be evasive, Sokka's mind wandered back to the teashop…

A small smile playing on his lips on helped to confirm that a return visit was very much needed.

* * *

Zuko quietly knocked on Jet's bedroom door. When there was no answer, Zuko sighed and softly called out Jet's name. At the continued absence of a response, Zuko gave up on Jet being in and morosely made his way to his own room. Perhaps tomorrow they could talk…

Of course, Zuko wistfully thought as he flopped onto the mattress, maybe by tomorrow, Jet's existence wouldn't even matter…

That thought, however, was quickly followed by a pang of guilt for even thinking about someone besides Jet.

With a sigh, Zuko tried to fall asleep, his mind torturing itself with the idea of someone else…


	2. Day Two

A/N: Please let me reiterate that they're OoC, and that this is AU, and yaoi/slash.

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Two

Jet enjoyed the nightlife. He enjoyed the anonymous faces, and he enjoyed the glances he got. Jet smirked—it really was nice knowing that he was wanted. And, if none of these people worked out, there was always Zuko… who, Jet thought, might die from ecstasy if Jet were to acknowledge his presence. That thought caused Jet's smirk to linger, and he made his way to the bar, looking for the next ambiguous bedmate.

--

Zuko wished that he wasn't awake at four in the morning. Four was about when Jet would get in, the next body in tow. And they would be up for the next hour, at least, making noises that Zuko wished he couldn't remember. With a depressed sigh, he turned over and wedged his head between the pillow and the mattress, hoping that tonight, perhaps, he wouldn't have to hear anything.

Ten minutes later, however, his hopes were dashed, as his ears faintly picked up on the apartment door opening and two pairs of feet sloppily making their way to Jet's room. With a groan, Zuko realized that he wouldn't be falling back asleep anytime soon, as his thoughts felt the need to torture him with the memories of when he had been on the receiving end of Jet's insatiable need for contact…

--

Sokka grumbled as he made his way back to that accursed bridge at an ungodly hour. Staring at maps and plans for hours hadn't helped to solve the problem, and he was afraid they would either have to scrap the project altogether, or build yet another suspension bridge. As he surveyed the meager progress in front of him, Sokka sighed, and went to tell the foreman that they would be building a suspension bridge.

--

As Zuko brewed the first batch of tea, his mind began an internal argument about his relationship with Jet. Zuko frowned as the debate began to preoccupy his thoughts. He knew that, technically speaking; they (well, Zuko amended, _Jet_ mostly) had decided that they should stop dating exclusively. And, Zuko, always eager to please those closest to him, had agreed with the decision, if only because it made Jet happy. Therefore, since Jet was enjoying the lack of monogamy, shouldn't Zuko also be able to find companionship with other people? Then, the nagging _loyalty_ thought reasserted itself among the internal bickering, and reminded Zuko that he was still in a _relationship_ with Jet, and one doesn't merely toss that aside for the first thing on two legs with a heartbeat (Although, Zuko mirthlessly thought, that's what _Jet_ was doing). With a depressed sigh, Zuko immersed himself in nothing but tea, hoping to quiet his relentless thoughts.

--

Jet barely registered when his guest left that morning, noting only that it was _early_, and they had left citing _work_. Neither of these concepts was new, and the lack of variation annoyed Jet for once. Couldn't just one of his anonymous partners _not_ work and _not_ mind sleeping in hours past noon? Jet sighed, and then resituated himself into a more comfortable sleeping position. Perhaps, tonight, he would try and find a bedmate in a place _besides_ an over crowded club. For now, however, he was content to sleep for at least the rest of the morning and into the afternoon…

--

Once Sokka was content with the progress of the bridge, he left its construction in the very capable hands of the foreman, and headed for the same tea shop as the day before, hoping that the same man would be there…

--

Zuko couldn't quite tell if he should be thrilled or wary when the stranger from the day before came in later that morning. He knew that, on some level, he was very glad that the dark-skinned stranger had returned. However, his mind, unfortunately, would not relinquish the thought of Jet, Jet and _Jet_. Hence, the wariness that came with the stranger's arrival—if anything _were_ to transpire with this man, then Zuko couldn't still be with Jet. The serial monogamist in him wouldn't allow it. With a jolt, Zuko remembered that he _still_ needed to talk to Jet about their relationship. Sighing, Zuko forced his thoughts away from Jet, and solely on the tea, and the rather attractive man who had walked in for the second day in a row…

--

Sokka, feeling slightly bold with the resolution of that accursed bridge problem, decided that he needed a date for tomorrow night. Of course, he dolefully thought, one didn't necessarily _need_ a date to a wrestling match. However, it would be nice… and so, with a voice sounding calmer than he felt, Sokka asked the golden-eyed man from the tea shop if he would like to come to a wrestling match tomorrow evening, seeing as Sokka had gotten two tickets instead of one. And, much to Sokka's delight, the man had agreed to come along. So, after arranging where and when to meet, Sokka left the tea shop, much happier than when he had entered (even with that stupid bridge problem being solved).

--

Now there was no way that Zuko could keep avoiding talking to Jet about their relationship. He kind of, sort of, had a date, that wasn't quite a date, with someone else. With a giddy smile that he didn't remember possessing, Zuko began to prepare the afternoon batch of tea, Jet's existence be damned.

--

Jet hated being awake this early in the evening. And, with an angry glare at the clock, he was _severely_ annoyed with the fact that his consciousness would correspond to some swatch of Zuko's. Although, Jet thought as a twisted smile crossed his countenance, that _did_ mean he would be able to employ one of his favorite activities—ignoring Zuko when it was obvious the other so badly wanted his attention.

--

Zuko was, at the very least, shocked to see Jet sitting at the kitchen table when he got home. And then, he was rather annoyed that Jet was up—that meant he would _have_ to talk to the other man, or else suffer from a constant nagging in the back of his head. Part of Zuko had hoped that he would never have to try and actually converse with Jet. It always turned out so… awkward.

--

Jet wasn't surprised when Zuko started talking to him. He wasn't even surprised when Zuko said that he felt that they needed to talk about their relationship. He was, however, slightly surprised when Zuko tiptoed around asking for permission to go on a date with someone else. Jet just grunted a response, nothing remotely coherent, and turned his attention to a magazine that had been sitting on the edge of the table. He was waiting for Zuko to angrily yell at him, or to throw something in his general direction. But, he was very nearly shocked when all Zuko did was harden his facial features, mutter something about how _incorrigible_ Jet was, and then leave. Once Zuko was safely out of the room, Jet went searching for a dictionary to figure out what the insult had meant.


	3. Day Three

A/N: AU, OoC, slash/yaoi… Also, this chapter is dedicated to Darren, because he's the only reason for Sokka's and Zuko's "first date" location (and the existence of this fic on page).

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Three

Sokka woke up happy for the first time in months, possibly years. For once, there was something to look forward to besides _work._ Tonight, he had a date. With a human being. Sokka paused at that thought. Of course he would have a date with a human being. It's not like he was into bestiality. With a shudder, Sokka began getting ready for his day. Had it really been that long since he had seen another human socially? Sokka frowned at the continued usage of the word "human" by his accursed mind. Perhaps it really had been too long. Solitary living was _not_ helping Sokka's mental state, it seemed. With a sigh, Sokka resigned himself to the fact that, yes, he had been single far too long.

--

Incorrigible! Jet was still angry at the insult. It had ruined his night. For once, by _not_ being there, Zuko had ruined Jet's night! Jet paused, wondering why what Zuko thought of him suddenly mattered. With a shake of his head, Jet dismissed the concrete idea of _Zuko_ and began planning a night out that was so extravagant any thought of his former significant other would be impossible to sustain. Of course, Jet mused, it wouldn't matter. Zuko had a _date_. After months of silently enduring partner after partner that Jet paraded in front of him, it seemed that Zuko had finally gotten the concept of an open relationship into his head! So why did that upset Jet so much?

--

At this particular moment in his life, Zuko _hated_ tea. He hated how long it took to brew. He hated how it smelled. He hated how it tasted. He hated how people wanted it. He just simply _hated_ tea. When he mentioned his hatred of tea to a coworker, they just stared at him, startled. With a groan, Zuko realized how _pointless_ a hatred of tea would be. And, the pointlessness of hating it made Zuko hate tea even more! The entire concept of leaves in hot water was very hate-able. Really, it was. Never mind the fact that, perhaps, Zuko was really mad at himself for thinking Jet stilled cared. Or that he was mad at himself for still even wanted Jet's approval for anything. Or, even, that he was mad at himself for hating an inanimate object. Although, Zuko reasoned, the last one wasn't really something to get mad at yourself for. But still… tea was utterly deplorable at the moment.

--

Sokka was getting frustrated with smiling and nodding. It seemed as if that was all he did whenever he was in the main offices downtown—smile and nod and agree with whatever the boss said. Never mind that the boss had been sitting in an office chair for the past twenty years, while the city blossomed and expanded to limits previously unimaginable. And never mind that Sokka was really rather sick of being told that he was a bright young mind with potential, but yet was never given the chance to show that he could _use_ that mind. With an inward groan, Sokka smiled and nodded when he received his next assignment (remodeling a skyscraper a few blocks away), and then was dismissed as those who made more money than him discussed whom to hire next…

--

Jet had decided that visiting Zuko at work would be the best way to get under his skin. Especially since Jet figured that was where Zuko had met the mystery date. After all, Jet couldn't remember Zuko ever going out and partying. And, Jet had realized, he didn't want their open relationship to truly be open. He wanted to be the one who went off and met people and brought home people, while Zuko was there, as the constant back up, the constant that never changed amidst a sea of bodies. Zuko meeting someone and leaving Jet, eventually, because of it, bothered Jet greatly. Hence, for once, an insult from Zuko bothered him enough to ruin an entire night.

--

Zuko hated tea even _more_ when Jet suddenly walked in. Today, it seemed, no good could come from tea. What made the day worse, perhaps, was the absence of the stranger, _especially_ since it was past noon (hence, Zuko reasoned, why Jet was awake). Yes, tea was a truly spiteful beverage.

--

On the train ride to the teashop (and, Sokka smirked, the _bridge_), Sokka glanced at the plans for the skyscraper. The project was _another_ easy one. But, of course, feeling the need to challenge himself, Sokka tried to think of every possible variation of easy, so that he would have something to preoccupy his mind with, as opposed to the empty rooms and bed that constantly surrounded him. Although, as the train came to his stop, Sokka smiled as he remembered that, maybe, in a short while, his life wouldn't be so… _superficial_ and empty.

--

Jet enjoyed seeing Zuko nervous. Which, upon reflection, was probably a bad thing for their relationship. Nonetheless, it was entertaining to Jet. _Especially_ since Zuko kept glancing at the entrance. Therefore, Jet surmised (thanks to the word-a-day calendar at the counter, otherwise he would have just reasoned), the mystery date had yet to materialize for the day, making Jet's impromptu visit all the more delightful for Jet, and wretched for Zuko. Jet thought about telling Zuko he'd leave, _if_ Zuko were willing to _not_ go on the date. And, after glance number 600 at the door, Jet was preparing to get up and tell Zuko his terms, when, suddenly, Zuko turned pale, despite the small smile that had made its way onto his lips. Jet frowned, then turned towards the door. It seemed that mystery date had just walked in… and, at the very least, Jet had to say Zuko had good taste.

--

Zuko felt faint. And he felt… very angry with tea. If it weren't for the tea, he wouldn't be stuck with current boyfriend and potential boyfriend in the same vicinity. And, he wouldn't have to try and act casual towards both of them. With a groan, he realized that tea was making everything worse, since now Jet was heading towards him, with a wicked grin on his face. And then, as Jet whispered into his ear, Zuko realized just how much he hated tea, had always hated tea, and would like nothing more than to throw a scalding pot of it on Jet. When Jet rocked back onto his heels, an overly victorious grin on his face, Zuko couldn't resist throwing the cup of tea in his hand onto that smug face. That, Zuko felt, was a very sufficient _no_ to Jet's terms.

--

Sokka was shocked. He couldn't believe that he had just witnessed an attack via hot tea. Whatever the now-wet man had said had evidently angered the golden-eyed one. Sokka realized he was staring, mouth slightly agape, and he quickly shook himself into consciousness, and took a seat, willing to wait until later to find out just why his date was assaulting others with his product…

--

Jet was scowling at Zuko. A simple _no_ would have sufficed as an answer. There was _no need_ to go and throw tea on him! Muttering a few curses in Zuko's direction, Jet left the tea shop, and headed home, planning his next attempt at keeping Zuko his carefully.

--

Zuko offered up a weak smile to everyone who was staring at him, and gave a little shrug, as if to say that it was really no big deal what had just transpired. And, really, Zuko reasoned, it wasn't. It was all the tea's fault, anyway. When he was finished with the tea for today, there was a night to be spent with someone else, someone who wasn't party-crazy overly controlling sex-fiend Jet. Because, Zuko had decided, that's what Jet was, and nothing more. Now, as long as he could keep telling himself that, perhaps he could rid himself of the slightly neurotic partner. Removing Jet from his thoughts, Zuko headed over to the cause for optimism, and confirmed the plans for that night.

--

Sokka left the teashop in a good mood, plans confirmed for the evening, and the prospect of seeing The Boulder live for the first time. Never mind the fact that most people he knew found wrestling to be juvenile and fake. It amused, and distracted, Sokka, and therefore he felt that it was a delightful waste of his time. And, sharing that time with someone else wasn't such a bad prospect, either.

--

Perhaps _two_ partners would drive Zuko over the edge enough to have him come crawling back, Jet mused. Of course, he could be going about this the wrong way. Jet frowned. Zuko had always liked those little shows of affection that made Jet gag slightly. Perhaps he should start being slightly more affectionate… With a snarl, Jet decided to forget about affection and just get wasted, partially hoping Zuko would just come crawling back, seeking out Jet, but knowing that he probably wouldn't, and Jet would be alone, despite the dozens of faces that he came across.

--

Zuko felt slightly out of his element here, among screaming fans holding posters proclaiming love and beat downs. But, what made everything much more enjoyable was a soft, warm hand dragging him through the crowd, and the owner of that hand glancing back at him, delight filling up his eyes, and a genuine smile plastered onto his face. And, once they were in their seats (even though, Zuko found, they would never actually be _sitting_), that smile was whispering into his ear, telling him about this chaotic new world he found himself in. Each hushed word sent a joy-filled sensation throughout Zuko's body, even though the words weren't even very special in nature. And, for probably the first time that day, Zuko was glad tea existed…

--

Sokka was thrilled when there was a proclamation that The Boulder Will Crush All Opponents, and The Boulder Will Accept Your Defeat. And, he found that he enjoyed whispering things about the match into his companion's ear, while their hands were still intertwined, even though they probably wouldn't lose each other in the crowd anymore. Then, when The Boulder Challenges Anyone Brave Enough, Sokka couldn't help but tease the man next to him, by suggesting that perhaps he should throw some tea onto The Boulder, so that The Boulder Feels The Burn. The blush that crept onto the other's face pleased Sokka greatly, and made him oddly hopeful for the future…


	4. Day Four

A/N: AU, OoC, slash/yaoi… Also, spring semester starts Monday, so there will probably be a longer wait period in between updates D

Disclaimer: My ownership is nonexistent.

Day Four

For once, Zuko couldn't sleep because he was _happy_. Sure, it had just been hand holding, and a little teasing, but it was more attention than he'd received in awhile. And he had _liked_ it. Zuko was too caught up with his bliss to notice when Jet finally got home, and, later, that event would strike Zuko as odd, seeing as he used to pay careful attention in the early morning hours for when Jet got home, hoping that for at least that night, he would spend it with Zuko, as opposed to just another body. Although, perhaps this change of thought was a good thing…

--

Sokka decided that work was really rather unimportant. Of course, he had probably decided that because all his mind could think about was last night, and that adorable blush, and those soft, warm hands, and… Sokka groaned. He was, quite frankly, acting like a schoolgirl describing her first contact with a long-time crush. Although, that didn't change the fact that he was very pleased with the way things had played out the night before (even if he _had_ refrained from stealing a kiss).

--

Jet had come home alone. He had decided that he was tired of his one night stands leaving, and he also wanted to corner Zuko before he left for work. It had bothered him that his _boyfriend_ wasn't the doting over him, obsessing over him, and trying to get his attention, like he always had in the past. Plus, Jet was still a little angry over the tea incident. Hence, Jet was sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee (which he was amazed to find in the house, because Zuko didn't drink the stuff, and Jet was always too lazy to actually buy any) in his hand, while he waited for Zuko to make an appearance for the morning.

--

Zuko had been shocked to see Jet awake so early in the morning. His good mood had also quickly evaporated when Jet had looked at him, his eyes briefly showing anger before settling back into their nonchalant mask. Zuko had also been surprised when Jet had stalked over to him, coffee in hand, and then threatened to throw the hot beverage on him as payback (although, Zuko admitted, the last part wasn't all too surprising, seeing as he _had_ thrown tea on Jet the day before). But, the most shocking aspect of Zuko's morning came when Jet pinned him against the wall, and had savagely growled out that he was Jet's, and no one else's. _That_ had shocked Zuko too much at the time to come up with the reply that they _were_ in an _open_ relationship, a fact which Jet had abused for months. And, in the end, Jet really _did _throw his coffee on Zuko, which wasn't all too shocking.

--

Sokka was bored of working. He was bored of telling everyone what the plans for the skyscraper were, and he was bored of answering repetitive questions. What he really wanted to do was go to the teashop, and steal that kiss. Although, Sokka reasoned, that would be much harder to do while the other was at work. But, the extra barrier made Sokka want to get that kiss even more.

--

Jet was angry at himself for losing control. If he couldn't stick to the carefully laid out mental plans, then he wouldn't be able to regain control of the situation. And if he couldn't regain control, then he might as well give up existing. And existing was something that Jet liked.

--

Zuko decided that he needed to end things with Jet. Of course, he had thought that before, and had decided not to, because Jet had always done something to make him change his mind (like suddenly show up with flowers and an apology, or plan a spontaneous road trip to places he knew Zuko wanted to go). This morning's run-in, however, as well as the existence of a possible someone else, made the thought of a permanent break seem probable. Zuko frowned at the thought of his morning meeting with Jet. If Jet's overly possessive and controlling nature held true, as well as his statement, then getting away wasn't going to be an easy feat. And, the little voice in the back of Zuko's head nagged, he _loved_ Jet, didn't he? Otherwise, wouldn't he have left long before now? Perhaps Jet had just been _preoccupied_, and Zuko was feeling neglected (which he was, he stubbornly reminded the voice), and that's why he was so keen on leaving now. Zuko's frown deepened. Whether he loved Jet wasn't really the issue anymore. No, the issue was whether or not Jet loved _him_. And lately, the answer to that seemed to be a resounding _no_.

--

Sokka quite liked the new ritual of getting tea after work. Especially since it was really the only time he saw the other man. And, today, he had something specific in mind. Hopefully, it would go as planned. If not… then, there was always tomorrow. With cautious optimism, Sokka entered the small teashop.

--

Jet needed a plan. The individual people he brought home seemed to have stopped having an effect on Zuko, and he didn't notice when Jet came back alone. Perhaps he should try some affection. The thought pf affection, however, made Jet gag. Which, he reasoned, meant Zuko would like it.

--

For once, Zuko didn't mind taking a break from work. And he also didn't mind the soft lips that had briefly met his in the side alley. Nor did he see any problem with kissing back. Reasonably, Zuko wouldn't mind more small breaks from work…

--

Sokka decided that gold was his new favorite color. Possibly because he had been staring into Zuko's eyes for so long. Although, he certainly didn't mind having a new favorite color.

--

Jet hoped that a flower would work. True, he had gotten the cheapest (and probably one of the scraggliest looking) flowers that the shop had in stock, but it was more than he had done recently. And Jet felt as if that would be enough.

--

When Zuko got home, he stared at the flowers that were innocently sitting on the table. Then, with a touch of bitterness, he asked Jet which one of his revolving bedmates they were for. When Jet had replied that they were for him, he just shrugged and ignored the gesture. It was far too late for a simple _gift_ to fix things.


	5. Day Five

A/N: AU, OoC, slash/yaoi. **AND AN IMPLIED NON-CON WARNING!** Also, I am currently obsessed with "Death Note" so between that and spring semester starting up, expect less frequent updates

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Five

Jet was fed up with the current situation. Fed up enough that he wanted to hit something. _Hard_. It angered him that every interaction with Zuko turned out ending badly for _him_. He wasn't sure what Zuko wanted out of him, and he missed being blatantly _needed _by someone. It was all because of that _damned_ dark skinned man. _Jet_ was the only one who was allowed that close to Zuko. _Zuko was his_, and no one else's. If Zuko continued to ignore him, and blow him off, then Jet was going to have to do something _drastic_. And then, and then Zuko would be his, and his alone.

--

He liked kisses. Or, he liked receiving kisses. Especially when they were from Sokka. Zuko sighed. Yes, kisses from Sokka were definitely one of the best events Zuko had ever participated in. Although, if things were to continue this way, Zuko would have to break things off with Jet soon… it didn't help, though, that Jet was sort of trying to fix things. Zuko frowned. He really didn't want to think about Jet; thinking about the man down the hall always made things worse.

--

Sokka had decided that they needed to go on another date. Because, he reasoned, another date meant more time together. And more time together was never a bad thing, as far as Sokka was concerned. He smiled. At least _one_ thing in his life was going well.

--

Jet had probably paced a hole into the floor. A large, angry hole. The kitchen would never be the same; it would forever bear the scar of Jet's anger and frustration. And when the cause of that _hole_ dared to show its head, Jet mentally snarled at it. However, on the outside, he just affixed it with a glare. A 'you're-in-trouble-now' glare. And the cause at least had enough intelligence to flinch, and cautiously call out to him. Jet stalked over, the glare still on its target, and pulled the cause into a forced kiss. The cause, to its credit, did _not_ try and pull away. But, it didn't actively participate, either. And that increased Jet's anger. Instead of furthering the kiss, however, Jet settled for gripping the cause's arm while pulling back from the kiss. The cause looked stunned, which made Jet smile. He liked when he was in control. And having the other person stunned _definitely_ meant control in Jet's book. With a quicker, yet still possessive kiss, Jet let the cause go, the half-smile, half-smirk still on his face.

--

Zuko. Was. Shocked. _Jet was kissing him_. But it wasn't a delightful kiss. It was more like an overly possessive kiss. Which wasn't unlikely for Jet. It was, however, something that Zuko hadn't experienced recently. And, some small corner of his mind had _missed_ it. Which frightened Zuko. Because he knew that most of him _didn't_ miss this, didn't miss being claimed as someone's this forcefully. And, the last person he wanted to be claimed by was _Jet_. _Jet_, who was pulling back (but not before keeping Zuko there by grabbing onto his arm), and was looking slightly demonic, as far as Zuko was concerned. And then, when Jet left, Zuko was still standing there, half expecting some sort of collar etched with Jet's name to appear around his neck. That thought jolted Zuko out of his stupor, and had him rushing out of the house.

--

Sokka was getting weird glances from his coworkers. And he was pretty sure that they were talking about him, too. Which probably wasn't a good thing. Although, it could be. With a smirk, Sokka dismissed that thought, and continued working, ignoring the eyes and voices that partially permeated his thoughts.

--

Jet felt the smirk on his face. It had been there ever since Zuko had left, and Jet decided that now it was a permanent feature on his body, much like his brown hair. It would only be a matter of time, and then the world that he had gotten so used to would return.

--

Zuko could barely meet Sokka's eyes when he came in that afternoon. And he was sure that his smile didn't reach his own eyes, even though he so badly wanted it to, even though he knew that Sokka made him happy. It was just that Jet… Jet wouldn't get out of his head. And that frightened Zuko.

--

Sokka could have sworn that Zuko's eyes looked haunted. Which bothered him. But, he would let it go… for now. Tomorrow, though, tomorrow would be different. And that reminded him that he needed to formally ask Zuko out on a date. Which he did, cheerfully, hoping that maybe Zuko's smile would reach his eyes just a fraction more. And, it did. But not enough to make Sokka completely satisfied. He let his curiosity slide, however, when Zuko agreed (rather quickly, Sokka noted), and then quickly kissed his cheek before going over to another customer.

--

Jet determined that he wasn't satisfied with just a kiss. _Especially_ when he had a rather unresponsive partner. But, now Jet needed to come up with something that would, at the very least, _provoke_ a response.

--

Zuko wished that he could have nonverbally expressed his excitement at another date. He had tried, but it hadn't worked—although, Sokka hadn't mentioned anything about Zuko's lack of enthusiasm (he had, however, given Zuko a concerned look), and Zuko was glad he wouldn't have to talk about that morning… yet…

--

Sokka frowned at his ceiling. He was worried about Zuko. Very worried. But, there wasn't much he could do about it, now. His ceiling would just have to put up with an ever-deepening frown.

--

Jet had been carefully listening for when Zuko got in. He waited until he heard Zuko's door quietly click shut before he made his way to Zuko's room. He had figure out something that would provoke a response for Zuko…

--

Zuko didn't want to acknowledge that Jet was standing in the doorway, staring at him. All he wanted to do was read. Reading wasn't so horrible, was it? But, he couldn't concentrate on the book. No, he was nervous—after that morning, Zuko was scared of what Jet would do. _Especially_ when he had a slightly wicked edge to his glare. And when he was standing, with his arms crossed, in Zuko's doorway, just _looking_ at him, waiting Zuko to acknowledge his presence. And, Zuko felt that acknowledging Jet's presence would be a bad thing. A terrible, horrible, awful, dangerous, ghastly thing. And yet, if he just kept _standing_ there, Zuko would acknowledge him eventually; the apprehension would get to him, and his nerves wouldn't allow him to ignore Jet any longer. So, it was with a sense of dread that Zuko asked Jet if he would like to come in. And, when Jet did, and sat down next to Zuko on the bed, Zuko felt as if this was the worst decision that he had ever made in his life. And when Jet kissed him just below the ear, and then whispered some compliment into his ear, Zuko tensed. He tensed up even more when Jet gently turned his head, a feral glint in his eyes. Zuko's tension didn't ease up when Jet kissed him, not as forcefully as that morning, but still possessive. And then, then Jet was straddling him, and then there was no way out of this situation that wouldn't end up with a supremely furious Jet, and a very hurt Zuko…

--

Jet sighed into Zuko's hair, his arm wrapped around Zuko's waist, pulling the other man closer to him. And it only slightly bothered him when he heard Zuko's quiet tears.

A/N: Okay… the last two scenes were not planned. They just popped up. And they wouldn't leave me alone. Writing this chapter scared me—Jet scared me. Well, at least writing him did. **:::shudders:::**


	6. Day Six

A/N: AU, OoC, yaoi/slash. I'm finished with "Death Note," so now it will only be school that distracts me

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

* * *

Day Six

Sokka was looking forward to that afternoon, when he would be able to spend time with Zuko, _alone_. And, hopefully, he would be able to figure out what had happened yesterday to cause Zuko to look so distressed. But, for now, Sokka just wanted to focus on the positive aspects of that day—which really just meant their date.

--

Zuko needed to get away from Jet. He needed to get away, get a shower, and leave. And the quicker he left, the sooner he would get to see Sokka. The thought of Sokka, however, made him feel slightly guilty. _Especially_ since he wanted to be happy about their date (and, he was, just not as happy as he would have been, considering the events of the previous day). And, he didn't want Sokka worrying about him… too much. A little worrying was always good, though. Zuko smiled. Finally having someone who worried about him would be a nice change. Right now, though, he needed to get away from Jet.

--

Jet knew Zuko was awake. His breathing had quickened, as had his heart rate. Jet smirked into his hair, then pulled Zuko closer to him. Zuko stilled beside Jet, causing Jet to smirk again. Then, suddenly, Zuko elbowed Jet, causing Jet to pull his arm away from Zuko, who jumped out of the bed and scrambled across the room and out the door. Jet snarled at the empty room, but didn't leave the bed.

--

Sokka hated that the bus was slow, and had to wait at stoplights, and stop signs, and bus stops. Well, Sokka hated when the bus stopped and he wanted to be somewhere _quickly_. Because, the sooner the bus got to _his_ stop, then the sooner he could be where he wanted to be, and the sooner he could see Zuko. And, right now, he wanted to see Zuko much more than he wanted to be stuck on a bus that insisted on stopping so frequently. Sokka decided that this was a very inconvenient bus.

--

Zuko's hair was still wet from the shower, a fact that he discovered when it had dripped down onto his shirt as he was waiting in front of the zoo entrance for Sokka. He had come early but, he felt that coming early and having to wait was better than being stuck in a bed with Jet. Really, though, anything that didn't involve Jet was the better option for now and, probably, for always.

--

Jet didn't like staring up at Zuko's ceiling as much as he liked staring up at his own. But, he didn't want to leave Zuko's bed yet. To the victor goes the spoils, and Jet felt that his spoil was being able to stay in the bed, even though Zuko was gone. Although, remembering that Zuko was gone angered Jet. Didn't he understand that Jet was finally paying attention to him? Couldn't he at least show _some_ gratitude to Jet? With a scoff, Jet jumped off the bed and stormed out of the room. Next time, he would just have to be more forceful.

--

Sokka tried to hide his frown when he noticed that Zuko's smile still didn't quite reach his eyes. But, he didn't think he was very successful in that venture, because Zuko broke eye contact to look at the ground. Trying to cheer Zuko up, Sokka slipped an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek, which caused a blush to appear. Sokka smiled, and then the two of them headed towards the entrance of the zoo.

--

Even though it felt slightly childish, Zuko loved watching the turtleducks in the small pond. He especially liked watching the smaller ones swim around each other, as if they were playing tag. And he liked how Sokka's arm was still around his waist, and he was leaning on Sokka's chest, and neither one of them were saying anything and that felt perfectly all right. Of course, Zuko just had to be a moron and ruining the whole thing by opening his mouth and quietly mention what had happened the day before. And when Sokka's eyes had narrowed and his face had hardened, Zuko felt slightly scared. But, then Sokka's face softened and he hugged Zuko, and Zuko wasn't afraid for himself anymore.

--

Jet was pacing again. Pacing and thinking. Lately, things with Zuko weren't quite going the way he wanted them to. Of course, that just helped him to decide that he needed to strengthen his efforts.

--

They had migrated to the lemurs. A trainer was in the cage, showing off one of them named Momo. It was actually slightly impressive. Although, Sokka would have enjoyed it more if he hadn't of found out what had happened to Zuko the day before. And he felt kind of bad, holding Zuko as tightly as he was, but he was (irrationally, his head supplied) afraid that something bad would happen to Zuko if Sokka let him go. Zuko, however, didn't seem to mind.

--

Zuko thought that it was rather strange that Jet holding him close was something scary, yet Sokka holding him close was reassuring. And he was sort of enjoying watching lemurs fly around. Although, they weren't as impressive as he had heard flying bisons could be. So, when the trainer left the lemur cage, Zuko dragged Sokka over to the bisons (and was pleased to see Sokka smiling and rolling his eyes at him). And, Zuko found, he really was more impressed with the bisons—especially the one that everyone seemed to be calling Appa.

--

After leaving the zoo, they had headed towards the bus stop where they would inevitably have to split up. Sokka didn't want Zuko to return to Jet. So, as casually as he could, he mentioned that perhaps they should get something to eat. With a shrug, Zuko agreed, and Sokka mentioned that maybe they should get take out and go watch a movie back at his' place. Zuko raised an eyebrow at him, but agreed to that, too. And, later, after the movie was over, Sokka mentioned that it was rather late, and the buses had stopped, and he did have a spare bedroom, so… maybe Zuko should just spend the night? With a shrug and a half smile, Zuko agreed, and that made Sokka rather happy.


	7. Day Seven, Part One

A/N: AU, OoC, yaoi/slash. O-kay, so… this day is in two parts… because I wanted to get this up before I go to bed. Please don't stone me for the way I ended this part!

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Seven, Part One

Zuko didn't mind the spare bed, per se. It was definitely better than sharing one with Jet. But… it wasn't his, and it seemed big, like a second person should be occupying it (a second person named _Sokka_ his mind added). And he did appreciate the fact that Sokka had let him sleep alone, _especially_ after the night before. Although, he didn't think that he would have minded if Sokka's warm body had been next to him all night. With a slight smile on his face, Zuko snuggled back under the covers and fell asleep.

--

Sokka cracked open the door to the guest bedroom to see if Zuko was awake or not. When he saw the gentle rise and fall of Zuko's chest, Sokka grinned (and, if he would have seen himself in a mirror, he would have chastised himself for looking so… _goofy_), and then closed the door and headed to the kitchen to see what he could make for breakfast.

--

Jet was furious. Leaving abruptly had been bad, but staying out all-day and then not coming home? That was just unacceptable. And, if Jet was right and Zuko _had_ spent the night at the other guy's house, then that was just downright whorish.

--

Zuko was awoken by a soft kiss his forehead and a gentle shake. When his eyes opened, they met the blue ones of Sokka. The two of them exchanged a smile before Sokka told him that he had made breakfast. So, after a brief kiss, they headed into the kitchen. Zuko was thrilled—Jet had never made him breakfast, especially not—EGGS! As far as Zuko was concerned, scrambled eggs were the best breakfast food ever invented by mankind. And Sokka had made eggs! The day was starting out quite well for Zuko.

--

Sokka was a little surprised at the enthusiasm Zuko had when he headed over to the table and started to consume, no, _shovel_, the eggs down. Apparently, Sokka mused, Zuko liked eggs. Chuckling to himself, Sokka joined Zuko at the table, and began to eat his own breakfast.

--

Jet was fed up with waiting for Zuko to come home. Pretty soon, it would have been a whole day since Jet had seen Zuko. With a growl, Jet decided that it was time to hunt down where his no-good boyfriend was.

--

So, maybe somehow ending up in Sokka's lap so that he could be fed some of the oh-so-delicious eggs in between kisses wasn't the best idea ever, what, with a jealous and angry Jet still very much existing. But, it was definitely fun, and much more preferable, as far as Zuko was concerned, than sitting across from Sokka. And he probably should have been concerned about several little things, like the fact that he hadn't seen Jet in awhile, or the fact that he should probably be taking things slower. However, right now, eggs and kisses and smiles were all that mattered to Zuko.

--

Sokka decided that he was going to make eggs as often as possible if this was the reaction he got from Zuko. Lots and lots of eggs.

--

Jet hated phone books. He hated phone books and phone booths and people who used them for far too long. And he hated that he couldn't quite remember what that guy's last name was, but he knew he had an uncommon first name. What did it start with? An X or an L or a—there it was! And he didn't even have to transfer buses—how fortunate for Jet. With a wicked smile, Jet headed to the bus stop.

--

Reluctantly, Zuko had mentioned that he should head home. At the mention of "home," though, Sokka's face quickly hardened. And, as tempting as it was to stay right where he was, Zuko knew that, the longer he waited, the angrier Jet would be, and the angrier Jet was, the less he really cared about anyone else. So, despite Sokka's bountiful attempts to get him to stay (although he did agree to be escorted to the front door), Zuko headed back to what would most likely be one very enraged Jet.

--

Perhaps, Sokka thought, he should have cooked more eggs. Or offered his bed instead of the guest bed. Or come up with an alternate location. Or _anything_ that wasn't Zuko going home. However, all of his suggestions were politely rebuffed. So, with a resigned sigh, Sokka started the too-short journey to drop Zuko off at "home."

--

Jet couldn't believe how lucky he had gotten—Zuko was waiting at the bus stop across the street! Of course, the _other_ guy was there, too, but Jet didn't see why that would be a problem. After all, Zuko would listen to him when he gave an order, right? And telling Zuko to come home with him _alone_ was definitely an order.

--

Zuko didn't actually spot Jet until after Sokka had tensed up beside him. And after he did see Jet, all he wanted to do was disappear. _Quickly_. Because Jet looked like a defanged Dracula, with his slightly demonic smile and an evil glare to his eyes. And a very annoyed Jet coupled with an overprotective Sokka would not be a pleasant experience for Zuko. Even though he didn't want to be anywhere near Jet, that didn't mean he wanted to see the guy pulverized onto the cement. Then he would feel bad, because a pulverized Jet would be _his_ fault. At least, that was assuming a furious Jet wouldn't outmaneuver an equally angered Sokka. If Jet did something to Sokka, then… Zuko cringed. There was no way a confrontation between them would end well.

--

Oh, he was going to get it. That little cocky son-of-a-bitch would be eating the earthworms for breakfast. And Sokka would make sure of that, one way or the other.

--

Jet noticed the way the other man was staring at him. And he noticed the way Zuko was avoiding his eyes. He smirked. He didn't want anything to do with tall, dark and handsome, he was just going to take Zuko and leave, and that was all there was to it. So, he was taken aback when the guy stepped in front of him, blocking his path to Zuko. But, he just snarled and tried to shove past the guy. When that didn't work, Jet stepped back and took a defensive stance. He growled at the guy to get out of his way, but all that earned him was a stiff shake of the head. Well, this was almost as unacceptable as Zuko not returning home. This guy was going down.

--

Zuko wanted to hide. He wanted to run away and hide, and not know these two. Because, this was all his fault. Jet coming out to the bus stop, Sokka being so mad, Jet being so mad, Jet rushing forward at Sok—wait… Zuko wanted to get away even more now, as Jet ran towards Sokka, looking as if he was going to head butt him, and then Sokka suddenly elbowing Jet in the side of the face, knocking him off balance. Zuko cringed. This would not turn out well at all.


	8. Day Seven, Part Two

A/N: AU, OoC, yaoi/slash. Allright, random funness for you… Darren and I were talking about this story, and he says "You want to know what I picture Sokka to look like right now?" So, of course, he ended up photoshopping… http://technologicald. deviantart. com/art/Sokka- 74169605. Okay… here's part two!

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Seven—Part Two

Zuko desperately wanted to be somewhere else. _Anywhere_ else. Or, at least, we wanted Jet and Sokka to not be fighting. In the middle of the sidewalk. With a circle of spectators. Although, it was a slight relief to see that Sokka was winning (if the fact that Jet was limping around, hands clutching at his sides, and a pained expression crossing his face every few seconds was any indication). And then, when Jet was crumpling in on himself, a set of blue uniforms was pushing through the crowd towards the center, where Sokka was standing over Jet, glaring. And then the officers were taking the two men towards a cruiser, causing Zuko to groan—he was going to have to bail _both_ of them out!

--

Sokka was going to punch someone besides Jet if the guy who kept convulsing with a mouth that kept foaming up didn't shut up about some blue basketball wearing smaragdine sandals. The officers had said they were stuck in the holding cell until five the next morning, unless they made bail. But, Sokka wasn't counting on making bail. So, he was in for a rather long night. With a sigh, Sokka slumped against the wall and tried to take a nap.

--

Jet groaned. They had taken him to a small room, and handcuffed him to a sparsely furnished cot, so that he could be examined for any serious injuries, and now he was laying as still as possible on it, since his ribs hurt, and sitting up, or moving, was too painful a task. When he recovered, he was going to get his revenge.

--

Zuko figured that he should probably get one of them out of jail, if not both of them, _at separate times_. With a sigh, he headed into the police station to find out how much bail would cost for the two.

--

Basketball head still hadn't quieted down. It was getting to the point where Sokka's self-restraint was wearing too thin for comfort. Beating a random cellmate probably wouldn't be the most brilliant idea he ever had. With a sigh, Sokka attempted to tune out the ranting of a lunatic.

--

Jet was exhausted. Apparently, being angry and then getting into fisticuffs (thanks to that word-a-day calendar, again) wore a person out. Although, the fact that he was laying on a bed, and in pain, might have had something to do with it. With a yawn, Jet tried to sleep and diffuse the pain.

--

Zuko debated for what was probably far too long about whom to bail out first. If he freed Jet first, then there was less of a chance that he would be able to come back for Sokka. However, if he freed Sokka first, then he probably wouldn't _want_ to come back for Jet. Although, Zuko bitterly thought, it wasn't like Jet _worked_. With a satisfied smile, Zuko settled on just bailing out Sokka.

--

The garbled choking noise that Zuko made when Sokka had hugged him was slightly worrying. However, when Zuko just smiled and mentioned that, perhaps, Sokka had hugged him a little _too_ tightly, Sokka kissed his forehead in response, smiling as well. He _was_ away from that crazy sandal man, after all.

--

Jet grimaced. The medicine that they had given him was bitter. Eventually, though, the pain did subside. Unfortunately, with the absence of pain, the authorities deemed Jet fit enough to reside in the holding cell. After a few minutes in the holding cell, however, Jet decided that he might have to fake being in pain—there was no way he would be able to deal with a guy who was foaming at the mouth and rambling nonsensically.

--

Zuko found Sokka's ceiling to be rather boring. It was smoothed over, and there weren't even any moldy water spots forming, making for a rather dull item to fixate on. Zuko grumbled something about Sokka needing to take shorter showers before he curled up onto his side and nodded off to sleep.

--

Sokka slipped over the back of the couch so that he was straddling Zuko, his hands positioned over Zuko's stomach. With a mischievous grin, his hands descended, and he began tickling Zuko. And, his efforts were pleasantly rewarded when Zuko began squirmed into consciousness, and glared at him while trying to bat away his hands. Sokka's smile widened, and he quickly kissed Zuko before sliding off onto the floor. Zuko's glare, while it had softened some, followed him onto the ground. He flashed a thumbs up and then leaned in to kiss Zuko's nose. For now, Sokka was perfectly content to forget about why Zuko had ended up back at his apartment, and enjoy the rest of the day.

--

Zuko rolled his eyes at Sokka's carefree behavior. And then, after he was swept up in another kiss, he was willing to forget about Jet. At least until tomorrow morning…


	9. Day Eight

A/N: AU. OoC, yaoi/slash. They were serving scrambled eggs in the dining hall this morning… What has it been, two, three (four?) days? o.o;; at the very least, from now on, I'll update once a week

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Day Eight

Jet was in pain again. He blamed that on Zuko. After all, Zuko didn't bail him out, and therefore he was forced to spend the night on a hard, steel bed in the holding cell. It didn't help that he had previous injuries, which were _also_ Zuko's fault. Jet snarled at the ground as he shuffled his way to the bus stop. All of the bad things that had happened to him recently were _Zuko's_ fault. And where was that sorry excuse of a boyfriend? Probably pushed up against a flat surface somewhere…

--

Zuko, in his half-asleep stupor, thought that the body wrapped around his was Jet. When his tired brain processed the concept of Jet's body, his heart rate quickened as his eyelids snapped open. Then, after the initial panic died down, Zuko remembered that he was with Sokka, and that they had fallen asleep on the couch watching lousy late night television. With a relieved sigh, Zuko shifted to get comfortable and drift back off to sleep.

--

Zuko's momentary freak out had woken Sokka up. And then, when Zuko had fallen asleep again, Sokka had stayed awake, his anger at Jet slowly resurfacing. With a mental snarl, Sokka tried to forget about Jet, and just focus on a sleeping Zuko.

--

Jet's level of fury was increasing steadily. First, he had spent the night in jail. Actually, Jet revised, firstZuko had spent the night with some other guy. _Then_ that other guy had felt the need to pick a fight with him. And _then_ he had spent a night in jail. And after _that_ he had come home to find that Zuko was gone, and didn't leave a note! Although, the goody-goody was probably at _work_. Jet smirked, before heading up to rid himself of prison grime and to start healing some of his wounds. After all, he thought, Zuko had to come home at _some_ point.

--

When Zuko woke up again, he was overcome with a different type of panic—it was already early afternoon, and he had yet to go into work. That would probably be a problem—for both him _and_ Sokka. With a not-so-gentle nudge, Zuko tried to wake Sokka, however, he found himself being met with a lack of success. Rolling his eyes, Zuko flicked Sokka's forehead, which resulted in Sokka merely grumbling in his sleep. Zuko frowned. With a sigh, he positioned himself so that his mouth was hovering above Sokka's ear, and then blew into it. Startled, Sokka's arms flailed around, and his eyes widened, both indications that he was sufficiently awake now. Zuko grinned, and then reminded Sokka that they had an obligation called work.

--

Sokka muttered profanely. How could he have forgotten about work? Oh… right… the person who was just sitting there, smiling at him—Zuko. Zuko was the reason he had forgotten about work. And, despite his work-obsessed nature, he didn't mind missing work this time…

--

Jet stretched out on the bed, _his_ bed, and was pleased to have his body met with the soft springiness of a real bed, as opposed to some metallic monstrosity. With a content sigh, Jet settled onto the bed so that he could begin waiting for Zuko to come home, and so that he wouldn't have to exert injured muscles.

--

Zuko really wished that tea were more interesting. If tea were more interesting, then he wouldn't be thinking so much. And, since tea was perhaps the most boring drink ever invented by mankind, Zuko found himself thinking about his newfound plethora (well, at least for him) of boyfriends. And _that_ was not a very delightful topic to dwell on at times.

--

Sokka should have just called in sick. _Especially_ since he was already late. And _now_ he was getting weird stares, and he was _sure_ that his coworkers were gossiping about him—since they all were suddenly quiet when he walked into a room. Overall, though, he just wished that he could have stayed asleep with Zuko next to him.

--

Jet didn't wake up until he heard Zuko's bedroom door open. With a yawn, Jet ambled out of bed and down the hall. Once he reached Zuko's bedroom, he stood in the doorway until his presence was recognized. With a feral smile, Jet walked over to a passive Zuko, wrapped his arms around the other so that he was standing behind Zuko, and placed a possessive kiss on Zuko's neck.

--

Zuko was past freaking out. Now he was trying to figure a way out of this situation. And then, suddenly, he decided that the best course of action would be to hit Jet, and run away, very fast. So, as Jet was kissing up and down his neck and slowly pushing him toward the bed, Zuko jabbed his elbow into Jet's side. Then, when Jet's hands went to his side in surprise, Zuko took the opportunity to remove himself from the room.

--

Sokka was surprised (although please) when Zuko pounding on his door awaked him. And then, the arms thrown around his neck and the kiss that accompanied them was perhaps the best greeting he could have asked for. They could discuss why Zuko was there, later. For now, though, Sokka just wanted to revel in the company that he wasn't expecting.

--

The anger that consumed Jet was probably bad for his blood pressure. However, he couldn't help it. If Zuko kept _insisting_ on making things difficult, then he was just going to have to tie Zuko down or something. And then, Jet realized that, perhaps, tying Zuko down was the best thing to do.


	10. Day Nine

A/N: AU, OoC, yaoi/slash… Hi, My name is Andrew-Squee, and I have had a very stressful, non-Avatar-filled last two weeks (I blame Forensics and the College of Communication… so, yeah, spoken English).

Disclaimer: I don't own them… yet…

Day Nine

Zuko was going to pretend to be asleep for as long as possible. Once Sokka found out that he was awake, they were probably going to talk about why he had shown up. And he really didn't want to leave the warm confines of the bed sheets to have a _conversation_ about _Jet_. And that was why, when Sokka finally did get out of bed and head to the kitchen to start breakfast, Zuko laid with his eyes shut, and his breathing shallow, so that Sokka would hopefully believe he was still asleep.

--

Sokka would get around to asking questions later. For now, he just wanted something to _eat_. Of course, that required him to figure out what exactly he wanted. And, sadly, Zuko wasn't on the menu. Sighing, Sokka dragged himself out of the warmth of the bed, and headed to the cold tile floor of the kitchen to muse further about his breakfast options.

--

Jet hated that accursed word-a-day calendar. He enjoyed scowling at its inanimate existence, and he relished in the ability to become so enraged at a piece of inconsequential plastic and paper. And, at least fixating on the calendar didn't increase just how livid he was at Zuko.

--

And now the bed was cold. Zuko grumbled about the cruelty that life chose to inflict upon him before rolling up further into the blanket. If leaving hadn't of meant facing questions he preferred buried in the sands of the widest desert, Zuko would have left the comforts of the mattress and joined the warmth-that-was-inexplicably Sokka. As for this particular moment in time, however, avoidance was the path of least resistance (and, of least work). And then, at the thought of _work_, Zuko remembered that such a thing existed, and he _couldn't keep missing it_.

--

Sokka was bewildered when Zuko rushed into the kitchen and nearly toppled him onto the floor. And then he was confused when Zuko began babbling about work and commitments and being late two days in a row and then Sokka's brain figured out the meaning behind the words, and he then had to figure out how to calm Zuko down and somehow remedy this whole _work_ issue. With a sigh, Sokka decided to postpone breakfast and the conversation about Jet.

--

Work, right? That's where Zuko would be. Not that Jet showing up at Zuko's place of business had ended badly for him before at all. Nope, Jet convinced himself, there would be nothing wrong with making an appearance at the teashop.

--

Zuko didn't like skipping breakfast. And he didn't enjoy the looks he got from the rest of the staff when he came in late _again_. Plus, a few of the customers were shaking their heads at him. Adding to all of this was the fact that he had run into the blind girl in the green dress that was now sitting by the door as he had hurried in. Apparently, this wasn't his morning.

--

Sokka was surprisingly getting quickly fed up with glaring at people. And he normally enjoyed being slightly surly! And if he heard _one more mention_ of the fact that he kept showing up late, he would probably have to start setting aside the money for a stellar defense attorney.

--

Jet felt like he was the most powerful being on two legs, despite the bruises and the pain from the previous day, as he strolled towards the teashop. And then walking inside the shop empowered him more, as if merely entering the new domain increased his self-assuredness. And then the look on Zuko's face—of shock and, maybe a hint of fear—didn't even seem to phase Jet's confidence. Therefore, he was immensely surprised when, once he got close enough to be able to lean in and touch Zuko, he was slapped—none too gently—and then angrily forced back towards the door. The turn of events against Jet's predetermined plans shanghaied his body into involuntary passivity.

--

Zuko had resisted the urge to yell, and he had resisted the urge to shove Jet into a wall. But the one urge he hadn't been able to quell was the one to _slap_ that impertinent grin off of Jet's face. And then, he had derived satisfaction from herded Jet back to the door. The coup de grace, however, was probably when the blind girl that he had run into stuck her foot out into Jet's path, causing him to trip, and then scramble non-too-gracefully out the door. Zuko could have sworn that he saw her smirking behind the cup…

--

Sokka was quitting, that's what he fully intended to tell his supervisor in a moment of identity-confusion (after all, didn't he want the city planner job?) when he had stalked to the office after a particularly frustrating lunch break that was one of a series of particularly frustrating hours in his working day. What he wasn't expected was the supervisor to give him a promotion. A _promotion_. For his _exemplary_ work the past few months. Sokka was floored. Now he would _definitely_ have to show up on time.

--

Jet was staring at the ground while occupying a park bench. He was confused. Where had his plans gone awry? _Where_? Apparently, things with Zuko were going to require more thought.

--

Zuko had never been happier to close the shop for the night. Now, as long as Jet wasn't home for a few hours, then he could collect a decent amount of his belongings and _leave_. And, luckily, Jet was out—probably getting drunk, Zuko wryly thought—so he could collect his stuff and evacuate the premises in peace. Hopefully, Sokka wouldn't be _too_ surprised to see that he was back… and a bit more permanently this time.


End file.
